Heuchera plant named ‘Southern Comfort’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct hybrid of  Heuchera  plant characterized by very large, pubescent leaves, amber leaf color, and excellent vigor.

Botanical classification: Heuchera spp.

Variety denomination: ‘Southern Comfort’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heucherahybrid and given the cultivar name of ‘Southern Comfort’. Heuchera is inthe family Saxifragaceae. Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’ originated ascontrolled cross between Heuchera ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 17,208), as the seed parent and Heuchera villosa (unpatented), asthe pollen parent. Of all the offspring, Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’ wasselected for its vigor, leaf color, and large, lush leaf size.

This new and unique Heuchera is distinguished by:

-   -   1. very large, pubescent leaves,    -   2. amber leaf color,    -   3. and excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a one-year-old Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’ growing in theground in the shade house in April in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a two-year-old Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’ growing in theground in the shade house in June in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Heuchera cultivarbased on observations taken in October of a two-year-old specimen grownin the ground in a shade house with 50% shade cover and added irrigationin the summer months in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDAHardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in Augustto an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1999 edition.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera spp.-   Variety denomination: ‘Southern Comfort’-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.        -   Size.—37 cm tall from the ground to the top of the foliage            and 70 cm wide.        -   Habit.—Mounding.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color;            roots develop easily from stem tip cuttings.-   Lateral branches: None.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate to orbicular.        -   Lobing /division.—5 rounded lobes, the terminal and longest,            shallow secondary lobes.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average 27 to 35 leaves for a one year old            plant.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Venation color (upper surface).—Greyed Yellow 161C.        -   Venation color (lower surface).—Greyed Orange 177D.        -   Margins.—Broadly crenate, slightly undulate.        -   Apex.—Mucronulate.        -   Base.—Cordate, overlapping, lobes curling upward.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 17.5 cm long and 16 cm wide.        -   Surface texture.—Strongly hirsute on both sides.        -   Petiole description.—Grows to 25 cm long and 4 mm wide,            strongly glandular hirsute, Greyed Orange 177A.        -   Leaf color.—Variable depending on maturity, temperature,            light, and season; topside in spring leaves first appear            Greyed Purple 186B, changing to Greyed Red 182B then Greyed            Orange 174A and 174B; bottom side spring Greyed Purple 185B;            summer and fall colors are the same on the newer leaves with            the older and winter leaves topside darkening to Greyed            Orange 166A and lightening to Greyed Orange 165B; bottom            side summer, fall and winter Greyed Purple 185B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Thyrse.        -   Number of thyrse per plant.—About 5.        -   Inflorescence length and width.—Grows to 22 cm long and 17            mm wide.        -   Number of flowers.—About 100 per thyrse.        -   Peduncle description.—Unbranched, with 2 or 3 sessile bracts            per scape, bracts grow to 2 cm long and 1 cm wide, ovate,            serrate, with 3 to 5 main lobes, Greyed Orange 174A;            peduncle grows to 65 cm tall and 4 mm wide, glandular            puberulent, Greyed Purple 183A.        -   Pedicel description.—3 mm long and 0.5 mm wide, glandular            puberulent, Greyed Purple 183A.        -   Bloom period.—May to July in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—3 mm long, 2 mm wide.        -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid.        -   Color.—Greyed Yellow 160D.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect, zygomorphic.        -   Shape.—Campanulate.        -   Size.—5 mm long and 3 mm wide.        -   Petal description.—5, inconspicuous, 4 mm long and 0.8 mm            wide, lanceolate with a clawed base, strongly reflexed,            entire, acute, White 155D and glabrous on both sides.        -   Calyx description.—4 mm deep and 3 mm wide, urceolate, with            5 lobes divided ⅓ to the base, long glandular hairs on            outside, glabrous inside, entire, acute, Yellow Green 152A            inside and on lobes inside and out, Yellow Green 145C on            lobe tips and base with White 155A in between.        -   Stamen.—5, about 2 mm long, filaments Yellow Green 145D, 1.6            mm long, anthers sterile, 0.4 mm long, Greyed Orange 165A,            no pollen.        -   Pistil.—1, 4 mm long, Yellow Green 145C overall, ovary 2 mm            long and 2 beaked style 2 mm long.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—Each thyrse blooms for about 2 weeks on the            plant.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—Two-beaked ovoid capsule.        -   Fertility.—Good.        -   Size.—About 4.5 mm long and 2.5 mm wide.        -   Color.—Tan. RHS 160C Greyed-Yellow to 199C Grey-Brown.-   Seed:    -   -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Size.—2 mm long.        -   Color.—Black RHS 202A.-   Disease and pest tolerance: Excellent disease resistance to powdery    mildew, the common problem of Heuchera. Susceptible to root weevils.    Not highly susceptible to Heuchera rust.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR Heuchera

Compared to Heuchera ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,208),the seed parent, the new variety has larger, more pubescent leaves, ofamber shades rather than burgundy.

Compared to the pollen parent, Heuchera villosa, the new variety hasamber rather than green leaves.

Compared to Heuchera ‘Caramel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,560), the newvariety has larger leaves and a larger habit as well as more variableleaf color.

1. A new and distinct hybrid of Heuchera plant, named ‘SouthernComfort’, substantially as shown and described.